Kids on the move Students turn Mini Relay for Life into maxi fundraiser for cause By Bethany

J. Royer Originally published in the Piqua Daily Call January 26, 201 P!"#$ % Close to &0 students 'ro( )igh *treet and +a,orite )ill ele(entary s-hools -on,erged 'or a good -ause +riday a'ternoon under the dire-tion o' the Piqua )igh *-hool +CC.$ /+a(ily, Career and Co((unity .eaders o' $(eri-a0 -lass, a satellite progra( o' the #pper 1alley Career Center. 2he goal, to raise (oney to3ards -an-er a3areness as part o' a (ini Relay 'or .i'e pro4e-t. 52hey are doing this e,ent as part o' a -hapter ser,i-e pro4e-t,6 said Rita Potter, +a(ily Consu(er *-ien-e tea-her at P)* o' her do7en attending high s-hool students 3ho set out to raise a 81,000 'or the pro4e-t and (ore than (et it by -olle-ting an esti(ated 82,900 in the +riday e,ent. $s ea-h parti-ipating ele(entary student (ade a donation o' 829 to not only 3al: laps around the pri(ary s-hool gy(nasiu( 'or the a3areness relay but en4oy a-ti,ities that in-luded 'a-e painting, -orn hole, a -a:e 3al:, ra-es, and sna-:s. +ollo3ing the day;s e,ent, the +CC.$ high s-hool students 3ill put together a s-rapboo: and in'or(ation they obtained 'ro( the parti-ipating ele(entary students 'or a presentation they 3ill then ta:e to state -o(petition. Part o' their resear-h in-ludes the staggering nu(ber o' students a''e-ted by -an-er, <9 out o' the &0 in attendan-e. 5=ost o' us, at one ti(e or another, ha,e been a''e-ted by it,6 said Potter o' -an-er as she e>plained ho3 the (ini relay 3as the 'inal e,ent to a 3ee: long obser,an-e that -onsisted o' dress?up days to se,eral di''erent e,ents held throughout the s-hool day 3ith the 'inal +riday 3rap?up. One that 3as all about ha,ing, 5$ good ti(e and hang out 3ith us.6 2his is the se-ond year that the P)* +CC.$ -lass has -ollaborated 3ith the )igh *treet s-hool, a (u-h larger e,ent this ti(e around, a--ording to Potter, as they brought in the +a,orite )ill students. 5@e;d li:e to -ontinue it,6 said Potter, 3ith the hope to in-lude (ore s-hools in the pro4e-t that 3as initially brought to 'ruition by P)* student .auren *e(an, a 2012 Aoung @o(an o' 2o(orro3 re-ipient. *e(an 3as a3arded at the 16th annual @o(an o' B>-ellen-e lun-heon held last 'all 'or her 3or: in helping -an-er ,i-ti(s, ,eterans, and struggling residents o' the -o((unity. *he 3as no(inated 'or the a3ard by her tea-her, Rita Potter. 52hey lo,e this a-ti,ity,6 -ontinued Potter o' the ele(entary students in the e,ent that brings the( together 3ith the +CC.$ -lass 3hi-h tea-hes -hild de,elop(ent, healthy li,ing, personal 'inan-e, and -areers. !t is a li'e s:ills progra( on ho3 to be a good -o((unity leader. 2hose in -harge o' the day;s (ini relay pro4e-t 3ere P)* students Jesi-a Bro3n, $lle Olds, both 4uniors and ne3 to the pro4e-t, and senior Cody Congdon.

2eresa $nderson, )igh *treet s-hool prin-ipal, 3as li:e3ise at the day;s e,ent, 3ho e>plained ho3 the e,ent -a(e to the )igh *treet pri(ary s-hool, 3ith their ne>t big pro4e-t to -olle-t pennies and -oins 'or the 5Pennies 'or Patients6 progra( 'ro( Jan. 2< through +eb. <. $ll donations -olle-ted 3ill be donated to the .eu:e(ia *o-iety.